UNDERSTANDING CONCEPTS AND EVALUATING RESEARCH STUDIES

You can test your knowledge of the content of this chapter by answering the following questions that relate to the parent involvement study and the mothers' trust in school principals study.

1. What preconceptions do you bring to the study of research? List three advantages and three disadvantages of conducting research.

2. Assume that you are Maria in the introductory scenario in this chapter. List three steps that you might take to begin your research study.

3. How would the parent involvement study ( Deslandes & Bertrand, 2005) be different if you presented it as a qualitative study? How would the mothers' trust in school principals study ( Shelden et al., 2010) be different if you presented it as a quantitative study?

Chapter Two

CONDUCTING YOUR RESEARCH

Write a "statement of the problem" section for a research study you would like to conduct. Identify the topic, the research problem, justification for the problem, the deficiencies in knowledge about the problem, and the audience that will benefit t from studying the problem.